Heidi's Haven

  The Visual Word: Illustrated Outlines of the New Testament Books  by Patrick Schreiner and illustrated by Anthony M. Bendetto is designed to be a tool for visual learners to help them learn about the Bible. They want their readers to be able to not just read the New Testament, but to be able to visualize it.  For each book of the New Testament, they create a layout describing each section of the book by subject, and include an illustration to help the reader remember and connect it.  Personally, this book was not helpful to me. While I enjoy visual tools for learning, I didn't think that their illustrations were any clearer than the summary they provided for each book. They threw a lot of info at the reader at once, but nothing was sticking. While a cool concept, I personally didn't think the illustrated timelines were beneficial. However, someone else may find that this was a very helpful tool for them.  Overall, I gave this 3/5 stars. It didn't work for me b...

  You Get Me: Simple, Romantic Ways To Speak The 5 Love Languages  by Gary Chapman and Jen Mickelborough is a small, short book (more like a booklet) that gives the reader a few ideas in how to show love to their partner in each of the 5 love languages. Some are little things you can do any day, some require a little more planning. Things like sending a letter, writing a note, going for a walk, and making dinner.  At the end of the book are blank and lined pages to record your own ideas to share love in your partner's love language, taking notes on the gestures you've tried and your partners reaction, or any other notes. This was a cute little book. It only took a few minutes to read through it. It might be nice to have on hand if you are looking for new ways to show love to your partner in their love language. However, I think most of this could be found online. Overall, I gave this 3/5 stars. *I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. I was not requi...

  In his book When Faith Is Forbidden: 40 Days On The Frontlines With Persecuted Christians , Todd Nettleton shares 40 stories of meeting with Christians in persecuted countries through his work with The Voice Of The Martyrs. He shares the stories of their steadfast faith and genuine love for God in the midst of horrible, unimaginable persecution, loss, and even torture.  I find stories of persecuted Christians so inspiring. To see their faith in such unimaginable circumstances in the face of such hardship really puts your own problems in perspective.  Whether you are looking for inspiration and hope or to learn about life for Christians in persecuted countries, this is a really interesting read. The stories and circumstances you can learn about is really fascinating. I gave this book 5/5 stars and I definitely recommend it. Each story is around 5 pages which makes it a fast read.  *I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. I was not required to w...

  75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know  by Terry Glaspey goes through 75 pieces of art, music, literature, and film that the author classifies as a masterpiece and an expression of Christian faith. For each piece they spent a few pages discussing the background of the piece and the artist. Glaspey states that their goal for this book is to show Christians more creative ways to share their faith.  For the most part this was enjoyable. I really enjoyed seeing the photos of paintings and sculptures I hadn't seen before, and I liked the history of the pieces and artists I was familiar with. However, due to reviewing it I read the book cover to cover. That was overall a bit much. As I read it felt like the author droned on way too much about each piece. I would recommend skimming this from time to time or skipping through to read about the pieces you're interested in. I also thought some of the religious connections or interpretations were a bit much, though I am in no ...

  How to Eat Your Bible  by Nate Pickowicz offers a new way to read and study the Bible. The author covers basic theology of Scripture and Scripture reading, then provides a plan to help you read your Bible consistently and well. He states that the goal of this book is to help people fight their Biblical illiteracy so that we not only read but feast on Scripture. When we read, he says, our focus should be on developing a long-term understanding and love for the Bible.  The author points out that we often make a plan or commitment to read the Bible, often over a year or some other amount of time. However, he suggests that we change our perspective. We should make our goal to understand  the Bible, not just get through reading the whole thing. With this in mind, Pickowicz has created the 7-Year Bible Plan. He walks you through the desired outcomes of study, what to look for, and things to identify as you read. He clearly outlines his 7-Year plan and why he set it up th...

  In the novel All That We Carried  by Erin Bartels, sisters Olivia and Melanie decide to take a week-long backpacking trip through the Porcupine Mountains in upper Michigan 10 years after the death of their parents in an attempt to reconnect. Through the many fumbles and hardships throughout their journey, the sisters attempt to connect and mend their relationship, and wonder if that is even possible after what they have gone through, meeting new people and questioning their beliefs along the way. This is very well written. The author Erin Bartels is clearly a very talented writer. My favorite part of the book was the descriptions of the places they visited. I grew up/live in Wisconsin and spent most summers visiting family throughout Michigan, so it was a joy reading about places I know so well. I could have done without all of the family drama and fighting that went on throughout the book. I didn't care for the characters very much and I found them to be extremely childish....

  Open the Bible in 30 Days  by Colin S. Smith is a journey through the Bible story. This is split into 3 parts: God the Father, Christ the Son, and Living in the Spirit. Smith goes through the events of the Bible and tell how the stories affirm each part. He also gives a timeline of these events showing the mountains and valleys (highs and lows) of the people in the stories and their relationship with God, and how that ties it all together. He explains everything very plainly in a way that is easy to understand.  I thought that this book is great as a reference or as an introduction to the Bible and the Bible story. Overall, I gave this book a rating of 3/5 stars.  *I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.